Stafford Sammybear Lakay

Real hard truths...

2012-02-11T16:35:00.001+02:00

Stafford Sammybear Lakay: Further hard truths...

Don't lie in order to satisfy somebody for a moment, because the pain that you cause them in the future can last them for a lifetime.....

What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens. - Ellen Glasgo

Day 7 - The reason for everything

2012-02-11T05:25:00.000+02:00

It's all for Him

The ultimate goal of the universe; everything created by God reflects His glory in some way; that is our main purpose, to show the glory of God.

We bring God glory by:
+ worshipping Him
+ loving other believers
+ developing a Christlike character
+ using your abilities to benefit others
+ introducing others to Jesus

Jesus will give you everything you need to live for Him. We are invited to live for God's glory by fulfilling the purposes He made us for. To accept the offer we pray: "Jesus, I believe in You and I receive You". Believe the true purpose why you are here and receive Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour.

Now we are ready to unfold and start living God's purpose for our lives!

Believe and receive ~ Stafford

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” -1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Pumpkin Pie

2012-02-10T23:20:00.000+02:00

Pumpkin Pie « Culinary Guide to Nature - Florence Johansen

In keeping with the seasons I think a good recipe for pumpkin pie is long over due. None of that canned pumpkin either!

Start with a pumpkin and cut it as you would a melon, exposing the stringy insides containing the seeds. Scrape off the stringy bits and remove the seeds and place them in a bowl for later (the stringy part you can throw on the compost pile). Then with a sharp knife cut off the skin leaving the pulp (the skin can also be thrown on the compost pile). Chop the pulp into smaller pieces and boil until finished – until you can easily poke a knife into them. Drain well and press through a drainer or chop with a food processor.

The seeds should be rinsed thoroughly and any left over stringy pieces removed. Dry them lightly and spread in a single layer on an oven pan. Salt lightly and roast for about 20 minutes in a modestly warm oven. Take the pan out and turn the seeds over. Replace them in the oven for another 20 minutes or until they are crispy.

Pie Crust

One crust pie:

1 ½ cup sifted flour

¾ tsp. salt

½ cup margarine

2 ½ tbsp. cold water

Using a pastry blender or clean fingers cut the margarine into the flour and salt mixture. Sprinkle entire amount of water over dry ingredients. Form dough with hands, pressing firmly but gently. Roll dough lightly about 1/8 inch thick.

Line pie pan with crust. Prick well with a fork.

Pumpkin Pie

1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin

1 cup sweet milk

3 eggs

1 tbsp. flour

1 cup brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. cloves

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Mix spices, flour and sugar. Add eggs and mix. Add to pumpkin and then add milk. Pour in unbaked pie shell. Bake 10 minutes at425 f. (about 200 c.), reduce to350 f. (180 c.) for another 30-40 minutes.

Serve cold with whipped cream on top. Guaranteed to set a smile on anyone’s face who loves pumpkins! ENJOY AND GOD BLESS ~ Stafford

Day 6 ~ Life is a temporary assignment

2012-02-10T05:25:00.000+02:00

This world is not our home...

Earth is not our final home; we were created for something much better. This realisation should change your values from temporal to eternal ones.

We are travellers in a foreign land. All that is not eternal is eternally useless. We must therefore not become too attached or affected by earthly matters, good and bad; they shall all pass away. Also don't assume to be rewarded for your faithfulness here on earth, it is not a given...

At death you won't leave home - you'll go Home. When this life becomes overwhelming and doubt niggles you to wonder whether a Christlike life is worth the effort, remember, you are not home yet.

We cannot conceive what wonders He has prepared for us. You will have happy moments here; but they dull in comparison. Don't forget, compared to eternity life is extremely brief and earth (with all it's trappings) is only a temporary residence.
Personally my awareness to this promise from God has completely changed my sense of being patient. I CAN WAIT FOREVER ~ Stafford

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” -1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Trillion Dollar Scandal

2012-02-10T01:11:00.003+02:00

Right now irresponsible multinational companies are lobbying hard against effective new laws that would lift the lid on the trillions of dollars they pay to governments across Africa for their natural resources.

These secret payments allow unscrupulous leaders to pocket some of the profits instead of investing in vital services like schools, roads and health clinics that would benefit all citizens. Don’t let them win. Join in calling on European leaders to stand up to corporate lobbyists and end these secret deals:

http://act.one.org/sign/trillion_dollar_scandal?referring_akid=2866.2041451.9xMKdv&source=mailto

With your help we can lift the veil of secrecy and help millions get themselves out of extreme poverty. Thank you, Martin Harvey, UK

Day 5 - Seeing life from God's view

2012-02-09T05:25:00.000+02:00

God develops and reveals our characters by testing us constantly. He even withdraws sometimes to re-evaluate us.

He tests our response to all types of situations but will never let us endure more than He knows we can handle; or He will supply the necessary support.

Be it required monetary needs, moral assistance from others (love and empathy), physical strength (good health), mental stability (courage and an understanding reflective ear), spiritual guidance (the Holy Spirit - our Inner Enabler)

All our life traumas and mundane daily trials are tests duly applied - He wants you to pass these tests!

God has entrusted in us a great commission in nurturing and negotiating an important meeting of minds to culminate in an unbreakable association; as an exemplary example of His works; a blueprint of comittment to encourage all others who strive to this ideal.

It is a long and winding road, dogged by many pitfalls and human frailty ~

The journey continues... ~ Stafford

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.”

-2 Thessalonians 1:3

Power of Your Love

2012-02-08T21:09:00.001+02:00

Power of Your Love - Hillsong with Lyrics - YouTube

Lord I come to You

Let my heart be changed, renewed

Flowing from the grace

That I found in You.

And Lord I've come to know

The weaknesses I see in me

Will be stripped away

By the power of Your love.

Hold me close

Let Your love surround me

Bring me near

Draw me to Your side.

And as I wait

I'll rise up like the eagle

And I will soar with You

Your Spirit leads me on

In the power of Your love.

Lord unveil my eyes

Let me see You face to face

The knowledge of Your love

As You live in me.

Hold me close

Let Your love surround me

Bring me near

Draw me to Your side.

And as I wait

I'll rise up like the eagle

And I will soar with You

Your Spirit leads me on

In the power of Your love.

Day 4 ~ Made to last forever

2012-02-08T05:25:00.000+02:00

There is more to life than just here and now

We cannot conceive of the wonders He has planned for us in Eternity.

When you live in light of eternity, your values change. Many things will appear trivial, petty and unworthy of our attention; such as our goals and problems in this fleeting of life. The closer we get to God and thus to the realisation that all this is temporary, the smaller everything else appears.

Q: Since I'm going to live forever what one thing should I stop and start doing?

Guess I should stop chasing the need to build up a stack of unnecessary earthly wealth and regretting past lost opportunities. I must start appreciating more the roles my loved ones and loyal persons play in my earthly existence.

O Lord please guide and assist my compromises... Gonna start living from here to Eternity ~ Stafford

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” -Matthew 5:43-45

Hi-Gloss - You'll Never Know - YouTube

2012-02-07T21:00:00.000+02:00

Look what you have gone and done

You fool

The best was yet to come

What a childish game to play

You had it all

And threw it all away

You were not the first my love

Don't kid yourself

You sure won't be the last

You have just yourself to blame

A fool's a fool

By any other name

You'll never know you'll never know

You'll never know

How close we came

Nothing but the best for you would do

My love was vintage wine

Now your just a memory

You've gone from me

Just so much wasted time

You can rest assured that I won't cry

Tears where never quite my style

I stopped crying long ago

With life erased forever from my mind

You'll never know you'll never know

You'll never know You'll never know

You'll never know

How hard I tried

you'll never know you'll never know

We could of had it all

You'll never know

How hard I tried

Your just a memory

You've gone from me ooooo

You have just yourself to blame

A fool's a fool

By any other name

You'll never know you'll never know

Oh what a foolish game to play

You'll never know you'll never know

you'll never know you'll never know

You had it all

And you threw it away

You'll never know you'll never know

You threw it all away

You'll never know you'll never know

You never know how hard I tried

You'll never know you'll never know

You never know how hard I tried (how close we came)

You'll never know you'll never know

You'll never know you'll never know...

Day 3 - What drives your life?

2012-02-07T05:25:00.000+02:00

We need purpose and focus...

What drives me?

Guilt, Anger and Resentment, Fear, Materialism, Need for approval...

Nothing matters more than knowing God's purposes for your life, nothing can compensate for not knowing them.

BENEFITS

gives meaning to life

simplifies your life

focuses your life

motivates your life

prepares you for Eternity

It's the path to peace...

What is my driving force currently? ~ The desire to love and be loved in return - Stafford

This is the true joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognised by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy - GBS

“Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” -Psalm 97:10

I Can Wait Forever- lyrics

2012-02-06T20:25:00.004+02:00

I Can Wait Forever- Air Supply with lyrics - YouTube

When you say, "I miss the things you do"

I just want to get back close again to you

But for now, your voice is near enough

How I miss you and I miss your love

And though, all the days that pass me by so slow

All the emptiness inside me flows

All around and there's no way out

I'm just thinking so much of you

There was never any doubt

I can wait forever

If you say you'll be there too

I can wait forever if you will

I know it's worth it all, to spend my life alone with you

When it looked as though my life was wrong

You took my love and gave it somewhere to belong

I'll be here, when hope is out of sight

I just wish that I were next to you tonight

And though, I'll be reaching for you even though

You'll be somewhere else, my love will go

Like a bird on it's way back home

I could never let you go

And I just want you to know

I can wait forever

If you say you'll be there too

I can wait forever if you will

I know it's worth it all, to spend my life alone with you

Day 2 ~ I am not an accident

2012-02-06T05:25:00.000+02:00

Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God.

You are who you are for a reason,
You've been formed by the Master's rod
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God! - RK

What about my whole am I struggling to accept?

My inability to be mindful of the extent of others' problems when expecting responses from them (not a lack of, but rather a discount of warranted empathy) ~ Stafford

What are you struggling to accept?

“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” -Proverbs 21:21

Day 1 - It's not about me

2012-02-05T05:25:00.000+02:00

You were made by God and for God - and until you understand that, life will never make sense.

I have started re-exploring 'The Purpose Driven Life' by Rick Warren ~ asking & addressing the question: 'What on earth am I here for?'

Originally suggested by a dear and beloved friend, should be helpful 'cos it was offered by one of the purest hearts I know...

I invite you to join me on the 40 day journey of re-discovering God's purposes for our life...

We all stray and fall short of glory - so it is important to have a compass; or at least some idea; to keep us on a worthy path, back to bathing in the glory of God and its Eternal rewards ~ Staf

Unclear? - gotta fix it!

“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” -Psalm 33:4-5

Caring... and its rewards

2012-02-04T05:25:00.000+02:00

The world often seems divided between those whocare and those who don’t care enough, but don’t judge too harshly. It takescourage to care greatly. It does take courage to care, to fling open your heartand react with sympathy or compassion or indignation or enthusiasm when it is easier - and sometimes safer -not to get involved. But people who take the risk, who deliberately discard thearmour of indifference, make a tremendous discovery: the more things you care about, and the more intensely youcare, the more alive you become.

If you look closely at the marvelous tapestryof living, you will see that the shining thread of caring runs through it all like a streak of golden fire.Caring or not caring can mean the difference between success and failure in amarriage, in a job, in every human relationship. “Nothinggreat was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” said Emerson. And what isenthusiasm but passionate caring?

The Bible is full of the importance of caring. The GoodSamaritan is concerned about the victim of the robbers, so he acts. The othertravellers were afraid that if they acted they might get into trouble, “passedby on the other side.” Conversely, what got the Prodigal Son into trouble was not caring. He didn’t care what he did to himself,or how his behaviour affected others. But his father cared - and kept oncaring. And this was the salvation of the boy, because when he finally hitbottom, he knew where to turn. “I will arise,” he said, “and go to my father.” Whatthe Bible seems to be saying is that if you take this one ingredient out oflife, nothing has much meaning.

Over and over again in our workaday world we see how caringcounts. A famous jeweller once sold a magnificent ruby after one of hissalesmen had failed to interest the customer. Asked how he did it, the jewellersaid, “My assistant is an excellent man, an expert on precious stones. There’sjust one difference between us. He knows jewels - but I love them. Icare what happens to them, and who wears them. The customers sense this. Itmakes them want to buy - and they do.”

In such cases, of course, caring ultimately brings tangible reward, but thegreat philosophers and religious leaders have always taught this paradox: the most rewarding form of caring is caring without hope ofreward.

Fortunately for mankind, the world is full of people who goquietly through life performing, as Wordsworth put it, “little,nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” The voluntaryworker at the hospital, the neighbour who offers to take care of your childrenwhile you settle into a new house - such people have no ulterior motive andexpect no recompense. They act because they care, and their actions -multipliedby millions - supply the force that keeps the human race moving upward frombarbarism along the rocky path of evolution.

The capacity for caring is in each of us, but whether we expand it or let itdiminish is largely up to us. It is not always spontaneous. Socrates wasreferring to this when he said, “Before a man can movethe world, he must first move himself.” Many great artists have servedlong and difficult apprenticeships before they learned to love what they weredoing. Many a person has had to work at a friendship before it became one.

One of the best ways to increase your capacity for caring is to express whatyou feel. People always caution: “Check your emotions.” “Control yourself.”“Don’t give way to your feelings.” But often such emotions are simply signs ofcaring, and if we repress them too relentlessly, the capacity for caring itselfmay be blunted or damaged. So work at it: the willingness to act, to approach, tobe absorbed, and in the absorption to be fulfilled…

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” -Psalm 18:1-2

Time to wake up and really feel again...

2012-02-03T05:25:00.000+02:00

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pause for a moment and answer these questions:

What type of cloud was in the sky the last time you were out? Which way was thewind blowing? How many kinds of flowers can be seen from your front door?How many different birds have you heard today? Where is the nearest bird’s nest or spider’s web?

Ifyour awareness is as sharp as it could be, you’ll have no trouble answeringthese questions. Relearning the art of seeing the world around us is quitesimple, although it takes practice and requires breaking some bad habits. Andrelearn is the correct word. Most of us observed much more as childrenthan we do as adults.

A child’s day is filled with fascination,newness and wonder. The desire to explore, to have an adventure, gave us all anatural awareness. But distinctions that were sharp to us as children becomeblurred; we are numb to new stimulation, new ideas. We don’t see a loaf ofbread as coming from a wheat field blown by the wind. The apples we buy seem tocome from a supermarket rather than from a tree. I have seen thousands of pigeonsin my lifetime.. You probably have too. But was the last pigeon you saw asfascinating, as wonderful, as alive as the first one that caught yourattention as a child?

The first step in awakening senses is torediscover that wondering child, in ourselves - and to do so we need to stopanticipating what we are going to see and feel before it occurs. This blocksawareness.

A seasoned hiker once related: ‘One chillynight when I was hiking in the mountains with a group of students, I mentionedthat we were going to cross a mountain stream, and the students began grumblingabout how cold it would be. We reached the stream, and they reluctantly ploddedahead. They were almost knee-deep when they realized I had taken them into ahot spring. Later they all confessed they’d felt cold water at first.

Another block to awareness is the obsessionmany of us have with naming or labelling things. I’ve seen bird watchers whospot a bird, immediately look it up in field guides, see that it is, say, a ‘white-breastedcrow’ and tick it off. They no longer pay attention to the bird and never learnwhat it was doing.

The pressures of ‘time’ and ‘destination’ arefurther blocks to awareness. I can’t count the number of field-walkers and hikersI’ve encountered who were heading for a distant campground with just enoughtime to get there before dark. It seldom seems to occur to them to allow timeto wander a bit, to take a moment to see what’s around them.

Most of us have visually stuffed oursurroundings into niches. The result is automatic vision, which stranglesawareness and limits us to seeing only a fraction of what there is to beseen. To test your family’s automatic vision, place an unfamiliar objectin one part of the lounge or living room where your family normally doesn’tlook - between a couch and a bookcase, perhaps. Even though the object is inplain view, you can bet nobody will notice it. For full awareness we must rebelagainst what our subconscious tells us is the ‘normal’ way to see what isbefore us. A big part of this involves awakening the subconscious and merging your 'conscious' everyday pursuits.

Nature seems to unfold to people who watch andwait. Next time you take a walk, no matter where it is, open up and dive in.Take in all the sights, sounds and sensations. Wander in this frame of mind andyou will open a new dimension to your life...

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” -Psalm 59:16

“Love is a serious mental disease.”

2012-02-03T03:01:00.000+02:00

At least that’s how Plato put it. And while anyone who’s ever been ‘in love’ might see some truth to this statement, there is a critical mistake made here. Love is not a mental disease. Desire however is.
If being ‘in love’ means our lives are in pieces and we are completely broken, miserable, utterly consumed, hardly able to function, and willing to sacrifice everything, chances are it’s not love. Despite what we are taught in popular culture, true love is not supposed to make us like drug addicts. And so, contrary to what we’ve grown up watching in movies, that type of all-consuming obsession is not love, it is the manifestation of one’s lower, vain desires and lusts. - (credit to original writer)

A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself - to laugh with me, but never at me; to cry with me, but never because of me; to love life, to love himself, to love being loved. Such a faithfull relationship can never grow in a jealous heart.

Special People

2012-02-02T05:25:00.000+02:00

The special people in this world are the most precious and the most appreciated people of all.
No matter what happens, they always understand.
They go a million miles out of their way. They hold your hand.

They bring you smiles, when a smile is exactly what you need. They listen, and they hear what is said in the spaces between the words.

They care, and they let you know you're in their prayers. Special people always know the perfect thing to do. They can make your whole day just by saying something that no one else could have said.

Sometimes you feel like they share with you a secret language that others can't tune into. Special people can guide you, inspire you, comfort you and light up your life with laughter.

Special people understand your moods and nurture your needs. They lovingly know just what you're after. When your feelings come from deep inside and the need to be spoken to someone; you don't have to hide from, you share them. ...With special people.

When good news comes Special people are the first ones you turn to, When feelings overflow and tears need to fall. Special people help you through it all.

Special people bring sunlight into your life. They warm your world with their presence, whether they are far away or close by your side.

Special people are gifts that bring happiness and treasures that money can't buy. ~ Author Unknown ~

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—” -1 Corinthians 2:9

NAILS IN THE FENCE...

2012-02-01T05:25:00.000+02:00

“Being hurt by someone you truly care about leaves a hole in your heart that only love can fill.”

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.

He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there.

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Remember that friends are very rare jewels indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed; They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us... Please forgive me if I have ever left a 'hole' in your fence!

The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” -Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Happy Birthday dear sister...

2012-01-31T05:25:00.000+02:00

Today I take time to wish my confidante, resort, nurturer and pride-giving sister, Isabelle, a blessed Happy Birthday!

Thank you for always being there for Mom and the rest of us...
God Bless you today, God bless you today, God bless you and keep you... Happy Birthday to you..!

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” -Psalm 86:5

Gaining courage to Trust again...

2012-01-30T05:25:00.000+02:00

An atmosphere of trustis as necessary as air or water to human life. We cannot be ourselvesunless we can trust the people around us; how imprisoned we are behind ourmasks when we dare not disclose ourselves to others! And being on guard all thetime paralyses our psychic energy. Moreover, it takes trust to love and beloved. “Love is an act of faith, and whoever is oflittle faith is also of little love.” - Erich Fromm

On the other hand, in the presence of those whobelieve in us, we feel safe and free. A noted psychologist put it this way: “We are not only our brother’s keeper; in countless largeand small ways we are our brother’s maker.” By our trust ordistrust we shape him. Trust is the willingness to gamble on the basic fact ofgood intentions.

All fine human relationships depend on trust.The teacher’s battle is almost won the day she is able to persuade thedelinquent child to believe that she intends him no harm. Why do human beingsfind it so difficult to trust each other? The main reason is that we areafraid. Watch two reserved people sitting side by side on a plane or a train,each fearing to speak. We are afraid, of being disparaged, rejected, andunmasked.

Memories also often make us defensive. Abusinessman I know, for example, has few friends. His mother died when he wasseven, and the well-meaning aunt who took him home with her told him that hismother had “gone away on a visit.” He waited vainly for weeks for his mother toreturn. As a result of this well-intentioned betrayal, he grew up unable totrust anyone again.

To increase our capacity to trust one another, we firstly needfaith in ourselves. “There’s nothing I’m afraidof like scared people,” wrote Robert Frost. And, in fact, he who feelsinferior and inadequate cannot trust others. But to believe in our own worthdoes not mean that we should see nothing wrong with ourselves. What we musttrust about ourselves is simply what we must trust about others - which we,too, are seriously trying to do what is right, however faultily!

Secondly, trust requiresrealism. “It’s risky to trust people,” an acquaintance of mine saidbitterly. “You can be horribly deceived.” He was right, if to trust peoplemeans betting that they will never do anything wrong. Trust cannot be foundedon illusion. For the insensitive will not overnight become sensitive; thegossip will not necessarily keep your secret. The world is not an innocentplayground on which everyone wishes us well, and we must face this fact. No,real trust is an unwavering acceptance of the other person as he is, and asensitive reaching out for the best in him.

Thirdly, trust requires agamble - a gamble of love, time, money, sometimes even our lives, onsomeone else. Trust will not always win. The man who trusts other men will makefewer mistakes than the one who distrusts them.

No great human achievement has ever beenaccomplished without trust. Nor has man been able to achieve greatness withouttrust.

“Trust men and they will be true to you, treatthem greatly and they will show themselves great.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” -Ephesians 4:2

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE

2012-01-29T20:19:00.001+02:00

Let's say it's 6.15pm and you're going home (alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself..!!

NOW, HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE...

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. Contribute by Sharing this can save a person's life!!

Quit worrying about your health - it'll go away... - Robert Orben

Between a Bullet and a Target

2012-01-29T05:25:00.000+02:00

Citizen Cope - between a Bullet and a Target - YouTube

What are the implications of deliberately putting oneself in danger's way? Is it possible to ask for divine intervention in these cases? I guess if it is for a good cause, the hand of God should protect one from the real physical harm that may befall you. But should we rely or expect His protection?

We have been given freewill. We have also been blessed with common sense and surely life experience plays a part when committing body and limb to excesses. 'Better love has no man, than to lay down his life for another (friend)' - does it go without saying that such a man is promised a place in Heaven. Many radicals believe this; but can the true Believer gain comfort from this perceived promise?

You see therein lies the conflict to action. 'Love yourself..', means keeping yourself safe and not open to harm. Physical and otherwise. This journey of life has so many lessons and trials. It's difficult; and all the more reason to find the answers as soon as you can. Time is limited and we all get only so much of it - use your time wisely; it is truly the only resource that only exists on earth. Eternity is timeless...

So be careful about setting yourself up for a fall when you deliberately place yourself 'between a bullet and a target' - it could decide your destiny ~ SB

Mr.Dali Lamas

Another sister's shootin' heroin tomorrow

Amputees in Freetown

Sierra Leone's

The church wasnt honest

The state put the youth in a harness

Creatin' hostility among us

Teacher said no college

Still the kid's gotta get a check with a couple commas

People wanna bomb us

More people gotta scatter and run rom us

You can blame it on Zeus and Apollo and Adonis

But what you've done here

Is put yourself between a bullet and a target

And it won't be long before

You're pulling yourself away

But what you've done here

Is put yourself between a bullet and a target

And it won't be long before

You're pulling yourself away

I've been knowing her for years

I've been seeing her for years she got dark, dark wavy hair

With a voice like she just don't care

She got a skirt with a halter top

She's got a dad who nevr gave enough

She drink a beer with a proper shot

She got knocked up in a pickup truck

But she got engaged when she was nineteen

To this dude who was acting insane

Has a .45 that he always cleaned

Said one day one day one too many days

Now she ducked and she ran away

Never to be heard from, never to be seen

I check the cover of a magazine

I'm just wondering how, just wondering how

But what you've done here

Is put yourself between a bullet and a target

And it won't be long before

You're pulling yourself away

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”” -Mark 9:35

Philo - facts of virtue

2012-01-28T05:25:00.000+02:00

Humour is perhaps a sense of intellectual perspective: an awareness that some things are really important, others not; and that the two kinds are most oddly jumbled in everyday affairs. - Christopher Morley

"....Every wicked man is a slave, and that proposition I fully established by many natural and unquestionable arguments;" "......we will proceed to show that every virtuous man is free."

Anyone who offends God in any way is indeed a slave. He is in bondage to Satan or evil and there is no way a man can please God while breaking any of His commandments. - Philo (20 BCE - 50 CE)

{Known also as Philo of Alexandria was a Hellenistic Jewish Biblical philosopher born in Alexandria. His work was important for several Christian Church Fathers but has been ignored by Judaism - this is an edited extract from one of his philosophies}

Ultimately, this is the only viable condition for any man, woman, or child. Because man-made laws are too inconsistent, too capricious, and too convoluted to be of any practical use.

God's natural laws are very easy to understand because they are self-evident. By taking other men out of the equation, the true relationship between God and man is direct and profound. There is no middleman because it isn't needed.

The goal should be the acquisition of virtue and good character. These things can be acquired by keeping within the natural law of God's creation. And that is all for which most people are responsible. We don't need any religious nonsense to satisfy God. What we need is to build good character within ourselves in order to defeat the evil. Evil is weak and ineffective, and there is no good thing that can come from it. And people who are engaged in evil are then slaves to it. There's a reason why it is called bondage.

"But the virtuous man has absolutely no obstacle at all since he rises up against, and resists, and overthrows, and tramples on fear, and cowardice, and pain, and all things of that kind, as if they were rivals defeated by him in the public games. For he has learned to disregard all the commands which those most unlawful masters of the soul seek to impose upon him."

"But the virtuous man does do everything wisely; therefore he alone is free. And indeed the man whom it is not possible either to compel to do anything, or to prevent from doing anything, cannot possibly be a slave; and one cannot compel or prevent the virtuous man."

This is a very important point. A wise man cannot be compelled to do anything that he doesn't want to do. A virtuous man cannot be corrupted. And I think that if more men and women made it a point to avoid their evil inclinations it would make their lives--and those around them-- a lot more pleasant. No matter what the situation, the virtuous man will always have the upper hand in everything because he is setting his foundation upon natural law that is in turn established by the God who created us.

"..Slavery, then, is of two kinds; slavery of the soul and slavery of the body. Now, of our bodies, men are masters; but over our souls, wickedness and the passions have the dominion. And we may speak of freedom in the same manner. For one kind of freedom gives fearlessness of body in respect of any dangers which can come upon it from men of still more powerful body; while the other produces peace to the mind, by putting a check upon the authority of the passions."

Evil and passions have a way of putting us into a type of stupor where we do evil things and can't seem to control it. By exercising a little self-control, any man can separate himself from evil and build up his character by obeying God's commandments.

Religions seem to blur the common sense that God established under natural law. When I conduct my behavior in line with God's commandments, I seem to have more inner peace and I don't have a lot of bad things happening to me.

Goodness and virtue are things that every man, woman, or child should be pursuing rather than digging themselves deeper and deeper into the hole of evil. In addition, there is no sense in studying evil people and evil events. They are what they are and it is destructive to the mind to keep studying things that are stupid; nothing smart comes from it.

Sure, you need to know the basics, but after that, there's no sense in viewing it over and over again. Keeping the mind continually focused on the goal of becoming a good man or woman should be of the highest priority.

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”” -John 4:24

Bill of Life, Gates and Others...

2012-01-27T21:37:00.000+02:00

GOD will make a way...

The most destructive habit: Worry

The greatest joy: Giving

The greatest loss: your Self-Respect

The most satisfying work: Helping Others

The ugliest personality trait: Selfishness

The most endangered species: Dedicated Leaders

Our greatest natural resource: Our Youth

The greatest "shot in the arm": Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome: Fear

The most effective sleeping pill: Peace of Mind

The most crippling failure disease: Excuses

The most powerful force in life: Love

The most dangerous pariah: A Gossiper

The world's most incredible computer: The Brain

The worst thing to be without: Hope

The deadliest weapon: The Tongue

The two most power-filled words: "I Can"

The greatest asset: Faith

The most worthless emotion: Self-Pity

The most beautiful attire: SMILE!

The most prized possession: Self-Esteem

The most contagious spirit: Enthusiasm

The most powerful channel of communication: Prayer

Who told you life was going to be perfect? Who said life is fair? The world doesn't owe you a thing - it was here long before you...

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” -Ephesians 6:12-13

You, yes you... are you the one I've been looking for?

2012-01-27T05:25:00.000+02:00

The more time you give to something, the more you reveal its importance and value to you. Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it - you are effectively giving a portion of your life. So we must prove our relationships are important by investing time in them. In our relationships love is spelt 'T-I-M-E'. Love is focused attention and it concentrates so intently on another that you forget yourself at that moment - it says I value you enough to give you my most precious asset - my time. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. Love means giving up - yielding my preferences, comfort, goals, security, money, energy or time for the benefit of another.

Sin does disconnect us from intimate fellowship with God; but that is not the reason for His seeming absence. This is normal; it's a part of the testing and maturing of your friendship with God. Albeit painful and disconcerting; it is absolutely vital for the development of your faith. A common mistake Believers make in worship is seeking an experience rather than seeking God.

Saying, 'I'll be there in spirit', means nothing, it's worthless. On earth your spirit can only be where your body is. If your body isn't there, neither are you - you are no longer of this world...

The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a glowing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing, it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of Divine accident. - Sir Hugh Walpole

That is the singular selfish bliss I pray for to God everyday - someone I can watch over; as He watches over me; someone who will love me more for that ~SB

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” -James 4:10

Try a little honesty...

2012-01-26T19:39:00.000+02:00

Real fellowship, whether in a marriage, a friendship, or in a church, depends on frankness. Until you care enough to confront and resolve the underlying barriers, you will never grow close to each other.

Upfront and personal...

2012-01-26T05:25:00.000+02:00

‎"...for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without." - Unknown

It is important that when pursing our own self-interest we should be “wise selfish” and not “foolish selfish”. Being foolish selfish means pursuing our own interests in a narrow, shortsighted way. Being wise selfish means taking a broader view and recognizing that our own long-term individual interest lies in the welfare of everyone. Being wise selfish means being compassionate. - DL

How do I see myself? From a side askance view or facing it all? - check the pic have a good look..., I did and avoiding yourself is the last thing you want to do ~ SB

Happiness keeps you sweet. Trials keep you strong. Sorrows keep you human. Failures keep you humble. And God, keeps you going.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” -Philippians 4:8

"Cry Me A River" - Lyrics and link

2012-01-25T22:23:00.001+02:00

"Cry Me A River" - ( Ella Fitzgerald ) - YouTube

Now you say you're lonely

You cried the long night through

Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river

I cried a river over you

Now you say you're sorry

For being so untrue

Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river

I cried, cried, cried a river over you

You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head

While you never shed a tear

Remember, I remember, all that you said

You told me love was too plebeian

Told me you were through with me and

Now you say, you say you love me

Well, just to prove that you do

Come on and cry me a river, cry me a river

'Cause I cried a river over you

You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head

While you never shed a tear

Remember, remember, all that you said

Told me love was too plebeian

Told me you were through with me and

Now, now you say you love me

Well, just to prove you do

Come on and cry, cry, cry me a river, cry me a river

'Cause I cried a river over you

If my pillow talk, imagine what it would have said

Could it be a river of tears I cried in bed?

So you can cry me a river

Daddy, go ahead and cry that river

'Cause I cried, how I cried a river over you

How I cried a river over you

"Love doesn’t self-destruct. We choke it with unkind words.We starve it with empty promises. We poison it with toxic blame. We break it by trying to bend it to our will. No, love doesn’t die on its own.We kill it. Breath, by bitter breath.

~Wise are those who realize that they hold the fate of their love in their hands, and blessed are those who keep it alive!

the Way...

2012-01-25T05:25:00.000+02:00

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

''God sleeps in the minerals, awakens in plants, walks in animals, and thinks in man.'' - Arthur Young

Dear Lord, I come to you as humble as I know how. I confess my sins, those known and unknown. Lord you know I am not perfect and I fall short every day of my life, but I want to take time out to say thank you for your mercy. Thank you for my family, friends, roof over my head, food on my table, everything I have and trials that make me stronger. Amen

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that
person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” -Galatians 6:1

To You...

2012-01-24T05:25:00.000+02:00

Prayer is the most important tool for your mission in the world. People may refuse our love or reject our message, but they are defenseless against our prayers!

Praying for you ~ SB

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” -1 John 4:20-21

Never stop loving ~

Never stop hoping ~

God will make a way

2012-01-23T21:07:00.003+02:00

God will make a way where there seems to be no way- Don Moen - YouTube

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and Earth will fade but His Word will still remain

And He will do something new today

Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and Earth will fade but His Word will still remain

And He will do something new today

Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way...

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault,

and it will be given to you.” -James 1:5

With this ring… and other jewels of the soul

2012-01-23T12:56:00.000+02:00

The finger ring; the symbol of continuous unity. Theconventional and ‘modern’ symbol exchanged between two people, to expresscommitment to each other. In the mainstream these symbols are usually fashionedout of precious metals, and the majority of them are inlayed with preciousstones – both materials laboriously hewn out of the earth, having come intoexistence over millenniums of geological turmoil and favour.

I think that may be the reason why the ring of commitment ismade out of expensive precious materials, so that besides its geometric shape,its geological make up further enhances and conveys the worth placed upon itssymbolism. But does that symbolism, as initially I’m sure it was intended,still convey the real heartfelt love that should exist between the two people?

One may argue that because of the cost, it shows how much isbeing sacrificed; but money can’t buy love. It may also be challenged that ithouses some wealth for the love to be sustained, when the bad times crop up;but we all know that in these times the path is to rather split the commitment.I can go on, about many points championing its worth; but none that trulypromote the love that a ring may benefit a relationship.

Oh, I’m not cynical about it. I know of many who becomequite frantic when they have misplaced or have lost their relationship ring-band/s. Butwhat is the real reason for their angst? Is it the money involved, the loss offace, and the dread of expected admonishment; how many actually think of thatsituation as a piece of their love for the other lost? – In truth, someeven see it as a sign that the union has come to its end!

That is why I say: real love for each other is not somethingwe store up in material gains strived for together, true love for one anotherhas limited place in the support for one another to really succeed in the workplace,etc – that is common love. That is love that benefits both (read between thelines, and explore your raw, unclouded thoughts). Pure unconditional love onlyserves one party; it compels one to sacrifice your own happiness for that ofanother. It has a passion to comfort another, take care of someone, and bethere at all times. Real love generously gives your time to another. Your heartand soul… everything dear to you; the cost of this love is priceless andceaseless; certainly many realms beyond the mere price of a symbolic ring

That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experiencedit. It is unfettered by jewellery and symbolism. It dwells within. It inspiresand extends its power to all around. It makes you feel like the greatest personon earth! Your status, your reputation, your self-worth is secondary (they may form an integral part of you, but are mere perks) – your real meaning and purpose naturallyflows from this love.

When two people embrace this type of love, employ and practice it on each other – (to quip a phrase) the world is not enough. You arethen true God-ordained masters of the universe – and remember that then, Heholds a primary place within the union. Awesome and breathtaking!

So, the next time you have to buy that gift for someonespecial, think twice about the diamond-earrings, gold cuff-links and sterlingsilver neck-chains. Give from the heart, give in practicality that enhancesthat pure love – give a divine hug and a kiss. Speaking for myself Iunashamedly admit being partial to lingerie – a good book – a personalized lovesong tape (CD or DVD) – don’t forget the greeting card and flowers!

My most precious piece of ‘jewellery’ is a little red woodenkey-ring heart gifted to me by a special friend - it conveys the most profoundmessage ever - “I TOOK SOME TIME AND THOUGHT OF YOU”.

I’m ready to take a chance again, ready to put my heart onthe line… God bless and keep us safe, till we meet again ~SB

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; theone who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”-Matthew 7:7-8

On and from my knees...

2012-01-23T05:25:00.000+02:00

Hi, it's the real Stafford here...

It's my turn to beg and implore forgiveness. My turn to ask for an undeserved moment of compassion from all those I have wronged. I confess my weaknesses and throw myself at your mercy.

I finally understand the psychological turmoil my vanity and excesses have caused, and beg the withdrawal of all applications and ill-thoughts against me to be lifted and set aside. I ask for my chance to leave and continue my journey with the little dignity I have left, and fulfill my true role in life. I request reprieve to make recompense and re-examine my place...

I was lost and by real soul-searching (thank-you Lord for the peace) have refound my Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, who refound Stafford, and relieves this blight upon his life with new hope that it will all be OK.

My best wishes and prayers go out to all I have transgressed against, and my sincere thanksgiving to God for His undying grace and love.

I ask this, not that I am worthy of it, but in growing hope that you will assist in further delivering me from my plight and wretched state.

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, always, as the Master sees fit. I release my sin into Your hands Loving Father.

Amen

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” -James 1:2-3

May the Peace that transcends all understanding be with us always ~ Stafford

Denied by circumstance...

2012-01-23T05:20:00.000+02:00

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. A soul mate's purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so out of control that you have to transform your life." - Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

There may be some people who put you down in life, mock your dreams and challenge your personality. They look like winners, but in actual fact, they are only voicing out their insecurities. Do not let them pull you down, believe and accept yourself and hold onto what you believe in...

Been there, done that... God bless us all. ~ SB

Should it take my shame of having a permanent court record to make another feel more secure and better about their life circumstances, character and destiny; then so be it. I forgive you and continue to pray for you... - Sammybear

My Affidavit

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000+02:00

To my Soul and its Nemesis

Inasmuch as you declared I was the only one who can hurt you - I acknowledge this fear you hold... And hereby publicly admit to my weak human behaviour in using it in a misguided and wrongful manipulative way to fulfill my submissive unrealistic wants - as you know, I retracted and destroyed all tangible and intangible menace I proclaimed I could and would declare.

You have however carried out your threat and wounded me greatly... You have shared, in part, mistruths and self-construed criticisms about my person, and details of my private life, with strangers. You did to me what you implored I not do to you. I can probably forgive that; but using my relationship with God to temper my miscalculated actions; that only God may forgive you.

I pray I see the light; as I seek to understand this irrational and unfounded fear you still hold so close and seem to nurture; a fear that corrodes all hopes and sneers at dreams; I pray to see the sense in it, before I am self-convicted to defend myself to myself; and then even perhaps to the world beyond myself... Unfortunately this time, the truth will out, the defense of my accusers' litany and sworn script, is out out my hands.

Have mercy, dear Lord, show some mercy!

Because I know this could never be your sole untainted heartfelt wishes or doing... ~ SB

First keep peace with yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. - Thomas Kempis

Please click link and sign the petition

2012-01-22T04:30:00.000+02:00

civilrightsactiongroup.org | Hout Bay / Llandudno,

Save Chapman's Peak - short-sighted and greedy developers are planning on ruining our coastline and the area's natural beauty.

Love the earth - don't kill the world - God bless ~ SB

Too good to keep...

2012-01-22T02:30:00.000+02:00

Compassion is something really worthwhile. It is not just a religious or spiritual subject, not a matter of ideology. It is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs: the ones who accept you for who you are, the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who will love you no matter what...

REAP WHAT YOU SOW -

2012-01-21T10:00:00.000+02:00

One can sow in many ways... capital, time, love, wisdom etc. The reason why some are a public success and a private failure is because some sow more into one specific area of their life than they do into others. Everyone of us has a divine mandate to execute, you are only successful when you step into divine compliance with your divine purpose in life... everything else is just an activity, a perceived fleeting reputation and status - so much dirty rags in God's eyes. Your journey to fullfilling your mandate will determine the degree to which the heavens will open over you...

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” -Galatians 6:7-8

Freely given decades ago ~ SB

Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness. When one desires to alleviate the suffering of others and to promote their well-being, then generosity - in action, word, and thought - is this desire put into practice. It is important to recognize the "generosity" here refers not just to giving in a material sense, but to generosity of the heart.

There is a saying in Tibetan that “at the door of the miserable rich man sleeps the contented beggar.” The point of this saying is not that poverty is a virtue, but that happiness does not come from wealth, but from setting limits to one’s desires, and living within those limits with satisfaction. _ DL

"When you give another the freedom

to follow their path, you’ll discover

what your true path has always been."

Reputable Prayer

2012-01-21T05:25:00.000+02:00

It is only in recent years that I have been enlightened tothe benefits of preparing myself for prayer. To first think about what I haveto, need to, pray about – to get clear in my mind what is worthwhile to declare before GOD and what I truly desire of Him to undertake on my behalf; and what torelieve me from. This in no way infringes upon the little prayers I need toutter throughout my day; in fact it is a summary of all those; and most timesfills the thanksgiving aspect of my big prayer. God hears and addresses themall anyway!

Any concern too small to be turnedinto a prayer is too small to be made a burden. – Corrie ten Boom

I find the ‘big prayer’ more suited for early morning(before the start of my day) – the preparation the night before; and theslim-lining thereof as I drift off to sleep – when most of us I guess utter a‘little prayer’ for deliverance to the next day?

This is no different from the notes (mental and/or written)I would/should prep for a business meeting, a speech, etc; or even a date. Itis indeed prudent to be mindful, when communicating with God, that He alreadyhas my answer before I pose my question, even before I request His favour onsome issue; He has already probably manifested and shown me this answer by whathas already happened in my life; or what has failed to happen. I amazinglyunderstand better my troubles and ambitions; and I am able to prioritise myprayers; truthfully even abandon some petty and unnecessary ones. Clarity…

In truth the preparation for prayer; I reckon I should viewit as divine meditation; holds the crux to a successful meeting / audience with God. I almost never walk awaywith an unanswered question or without a new idea about how to approach my dilemmas– a new sense of hope has emerged and any emptiness of knowledge (the wayforward) has been filled.

Almighty God, unto Whom allhearts be open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughtsof our hearts (the true mind) by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that wemay perfectly love You and worthily magnify YourHoly Name – through Christ our Lord, Amen.

I pray that God may bless and enhance your day ~ SB

Whatever is begun in anger - ends inshame. – Benjamin Franklin

Anger is fear manifested - and ultimately leads to hate - which leads to my ultimate demise... - Lord have mercy, Stafford

I surrender... Lord I give it all to You

2012-01-20T09:40:00.000+02:00

What if you found out that all you knew in life was not as it seemed? That there was so much magic on this earth that you had not tapped into yet? That you are living a limited potential when you are indeed potentially limitless. Go seek, find and discover...

God has promised to restore us from all pains of the past, broken relationships, struggles from defeat and frustrations of life. All the times we felt broken beyond repair, God has promised to restore.

God is in the business of restoring His children into beautiful works of His holiness. If you, or someone in your life has wandered from the faith and felt the abandonment of friends and family, go to that person today and encourage him/her/yourself in the love of Jesus. God wants to restore us in order to be ready for the Blessings set out for us...

Release it to the One who cares...

2012-01-19T11:45:00.000+02:00

Suffering is one very long moment. We cannot divide it by seasons. We can only record its moods, and chronicle their return. With us time itself does not progress. It revolves. It seems to circle round one centre of pain. The paralysing immobility of a life every circumstance of which is regulated after an unchangeable pattern, so that we eat and drink and lie down and pray, or kneel at least for prayer, according to the inflexible laws of an iron formula: this immobile quality, that makes each dreadful day in the very minutest detail like its brother, seems to communicate itself to those external forces the very essence of whose existence is ceaseless change. Of seed-time or harvest, of the reapers bending over the corn, or the grape gatherers threading through the vines, of the grass in the orchard made white with broken blossoms or strewn with fallen fruit: of these we know nothing and can know nothing. - 'De Profundis' by Oscar Wilde

Why do we close our eyes when we pray, when we cry, when we we kiss, when we dream? Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt only by the heart ♥

HOW TO RESTORE A RELATIONSHIP - RW (PDL)

2012-01-18T22:03:00.000+02:00

+ TALK to God before talking to the person

All your relationships would go smoothly if you would justpray more about them - use prayer to ventilate vertically - God is listening.

Most conflict is rooted in unmet needs - and some can onlybe met by God (your efforts to resolve those are therefore futile) Go to Godfirst.

+ ALWAYS take the initiative

Whether you are the offender or the offended God expects youto make the first move. Delay only deepens resentment and makes matters worse.In conflict, time heals nothing - only causes hurt to fester.

Acting quickly also reduces the spiritual damage to you.

+ SYMPATHIZE with their feelings

Before attempting to solve any disagreement, listen topeople's feelings.

Don't try to talk people out of how they feel, let themunload emotionally without being defensive. People don't care what we knowuntil they know that we care.

It is a sacrifice to patiently absorb the anger of others,especially if it's unfounded.

+ CONFESS your part of the conflict

Begin by admitting your own mistakes and sin. Since we allhave blind spots, you may need to ask a third party to help you evaluate youractions in the dispute.

Confession is a powerful tool for reconciliation, itdiffuses the other person's anger and disarms their attack - just honestly ownup to any part you have played in the conflict - Accept responsibility, ask forforgiveness.

+ ATTACK the problem, not the person

Fix the problem, DON'T, fix the blame.

In resolving conflict, HOW you say it is as important asWHAT you say. - say it offensively and it will be received defensively. You arenever persuasive when you're abrasive.

For the sake of fellowship use only helpful words, so thatwhat you say will do good to those who hear you.

+ COOPERATE as much as possible

Peace has a price tag.

Do your best to compromise, adjust to others and show preferencesto what they need.

+ EMPHASIZE reconciliation, not resolution

Reconciliation focuses on the relationship, while resolutionfocuses on the problem.

When we focus on reconciliation, the problem losessignificance and often becomes irrelevant.

God expects unity - we can walk arm-in-arm without seeingeye-to-eye. You may bury the hatchet, not necessarily the issue - continuediscussing and debating the issue in a spirit of harmony.

These steps are simple, but they are not easy. That’s whyGod calls peacemakers His children.

May God bless and enhance your day, with much love - Stafford

Voluntarily let go...

2012-01-18T21:42:00.000+02:00

Sometimes you get closure, sometimes you don't. You just have to walk away knowing you tried your best, and let God handle the rest!

The Purpose Driven Life - Day 35 – God’s power in your weakness

2012-01-18T21:16:00.001+02:00

God loves to use weakpeople.

We are all flawed andimperfect - baggaged with physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual,financial and relational limiting weaknesses.

Usually we deny ourweaknesses, defend them, excuse them, hide them, and resent them. We think thatGod only wants to use our strengths; but He also wants to use our weaknessesfor His glory.

God loves to use imperfect,ordinary people to do the extraordinary things in spite of their frailties orany other inherited limitations; or that which they are powerless to change –God is never limited by our limitations!

+ Admit your weaknesses.

Instead of living in denialor making excuses, take the time to identify your personal weaknesses – make alist. You are only human; surely you can admit your shortcomings to yourself?

+ Be content with yourweaknesses.

Being content with weaknessdoesn’t seem to make sense – don’t you think?

But this contentment is anexpression of faith in the goodness of God. Whenever you feel weak, God isreminding you to depend on Him – weaknesses prevent arrogance, keep us humble,keep our egos in check and govern us from going too fast and running ahead ofGod – He deliberately allows them in your life for the purpose of demonstratingHis power through you.

Furthermore; our weaknessesencourage fellowship between believers and increase our capacity for sympathyand ministry.

Your greatest life messagesand your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts – thethings you’re most embarrassed about, most ashamed of, and most reluctant toshare – the very tools God can use most powerfully to heal others.

+ Honestly share yourweaknesses. (Saw this one coming, eh?)

The more you let down yourguard, take off your mask, and share your struggles, the more God will be ableto use you in serving others.

When you do reveal yourfailures, feelings, frustrations and fears; you risk rejection – but thebenefits are worth the risk.

Humility is not puttingyourself down or denying your strengths; rather it is being honest about yourweaknesses. Pretentiousness repels but authenticity attracts, and thevulnerability is the pathway to intimacy.

(This I have experiencedfirsthand – deep personal admissions from a dearly beloved, that I was blessedto be made privy to, had a huge impact on realigning myself to that person; andto a whole new world in general)

Our strengths createcompetition, but our weaknesses create community.

You can impress people froma distance, but you must get close to influence them – the most essentialquality for leadership is not perfection, but credibility.

+ Glory in your weaknesses.

Instead of posing as self-confidentand invincible, see yourself as a trophy of grace – fill your heart with praisefor Jesus, who understands every weakness and for the Holy Spirit, who helps usin our weakness.

If you want God to bless youand use you greatly, you must be willing to ‘walk with a limp’ for the rest ofyour life, because God uses weak people; and none of us can be perfect!

Come share in myimperfection… Love ~ SB

The final nail...

2012-01-18T19:40:00.001+02:00

When a man is going downhill, everybody will give him a push...

And most times it's those he loves best...

"Take care. u r always in my prayers."

And graciously God reaches out His hand to the broken and downtrodden - we just have to ask ~Sammybear

Lord, keep me from the habitof thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving tostraighten out everybody's affairs.

Keep my mind free from therecital of endless details- give me wings to get to the point.

I ask for grace enough tolisten to the tales of others' pains. Help me to endure them with patience. Butseal my lips on my own aches and pains- as they increase and my love ofrehearsing them becomes sweeter as the years go by.

Teach me the glorious lessonthat occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; Ido not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with - but a sourold person is one of the crowning works of the devil.

Give me the ability to seegood things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, giveme, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Make me thoughtful, but notmoody; helpful, but not bossy. With the wisdom I consider to have collected, itseems a pity not to use it all- but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a fewfriends at the end.

Amen

I'm so glad I didn't have to share this with my Dad...

The good is interred with their bones....

2012-01-18T19:03:00.000+02:00

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” -1 Corinthians 10:13

And when we regret giving into the temptations, and want to show remorse, we start attacking those who make us take a long, hard look at ourselves. But God is watching, and no matter how we justify it in our own minds, He will see to it that we make proper correction; but still allows freedom of choice; so that we fail and come to nothing by our own hand... I pray for you ~ SB

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” -2 Corinthians 5:17

So, you win again...

2012-01-18T05:25:00.000+02:00

For a long time, I wondered why manipulation victims have a hard time seeing what really goes on in manipulative interactions. At first, I was tempted to fault them. But I've learned that they get hoodwinked for some very good reasons:

1. A manipulator's aggression is not

obvious. Our gut may tell us that

they're fighting for something,

struggling to overcome us, gain

power, or have their way, and we

find ourselves unconsciously on the defensive.

But because we can't

point to clear, objective evidence

they're aggressing against us, we

can't readily validate our feelings.

2. The tactics manipulators use can

make it seem like they're hurting,

caring, defending, ..., almost

anything but fighting. These tactics

are hard to recognize as merely

clever ploys.
They always make just enough sense
to make a person

doubt their gut hunch that they're

being taken advantage of or

abused. Besides, the tactics not

only make it hard for you to

consciously and objectively tell that
a manipulator is fighting, but they

also simultaneously keep you or

consciously on the defensive.

These features make them highly

effective psychological weapons to

which anyone can be vulnerable.
It's hard to think clearly when

someone has you emotionally on

the run.

3. All of us have weaknesses and

insecurities that a clever

manipulator might exploit.

Sometimes, we're aware of these

weaknesses and how someone

might use them to take advantage of us.
For example, I hear parents

say things like: "Yeah, I know I

have a big guilt button." – But at

the time their manipulative child is

busily pushing that button, they

can easily forget what's really going on.
Besides, sometimes we're

unaware of our biggest

vulnerabilities. Manipulators often

know us better than we know

ourselves. They know what

buttons to push, when and how hard.
Our lack of self-knowledge

sets us up to be exploited.

4. What our gut tells us a manipulator

is like, challenges everything we've

been taught to believe about

human nature. We've been

inundated with a psychology that

has us seeing everybody,
at least to some degree,
as afraid, insecure or

"hung-up." So, while our gut tells

us we're dealing with a ruthless

conniver, our head tells us they

must be really frightened or

wounded "underneath."

What's more, most of us generally hate to

think of ourselves as callous and

insensitive people.
We hesitate to

make harsh or seemingly negative

judgments about others. We want

to give them the benefit of the doubt
and assume they don't really

harbor the malevolent intentions

we suspect. We're more apt to

doubt and blame ourselves for

daring to believe what our gut tells

us about our manipulator's character.''

Consummate Loser...

But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. Psalm 69:13 In this changing world, may God's unchanging love surround and bless you daily in abundance from above. Today you may not understand why you are facing adversity or you may question God's plan, but someday you will understand

Tell the truth... especially about yourself

2012-01-17T20:19:00.001+02:00

If you can share any problem with your partner, you’re rich. If you can face your parents and believe you have given back to them even a hint of what they gave you, you’re rich. If you can honestly say you have nothing to hide, you are really, really rich.

Every experience you have upon Earth encourages the alignment of your personality with your soul. Every circumstance and situation gives you the opportunity to choose the path to allow your soul to shine through you. To bring into the physical world, through you, it's unending and unfathomable reverence and love, of Life... - That character is your destiny -

Though I'll never make it alone...

2012-01-17T12:51:00.003+02:00

‎"If you find from your own experience that something is a fact and it contradicts what some authority has written down, then you must abandon the authority and base your reasoning on your own findings." - Leonardo da Vinci

Sometimes... God breaks our spirit to save your soul. God breaks our heart to make us whole. God allows pain so we can be stronger. God sends us failure so we can be humble. God allows illness so we can take better care of ourselves. God takes everything away from us, so that we can learn the value of everything HE gave us... Make plans but understand that we live by God's grace...

With a little help from my family and friends... the possibilities are eternal! I cannot do it alone ~ SB

Further hard truths...

2012-01-17T05:25:00.000+02:00

You can say sorry a million times, say I love you as much as you want, say whatever you want, whenever you want. But if you're not going to prove that the things you say are true, then don't say anything at all. Because if you can't show it, your words don't mean a thing. Don't lie in order to satisfy somebody for a moment, because the pain that you cause them in the future can last them for a lifetime.....

Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever.

You decided to let go of thepast hurts from growing up in an unstable family environment, yet you believeyou are unworthy of love from others and you refuse to get attached to anyone. (You let the devil leave his bags).

When you put the Devil out, Please makesure he takes his bags.

Today, Let the Devil take his bags withhim!!

Every day, Learn Something New... & TeachSomething, too!

Don't Forget ToCount Your Blessings

Fool me twice... shame on me!

2012-01-16T09:52:00.001+02:00

Someday my true princess will come. Unimprisoned by circumstance and guilt.

How great and glorious that day will be, when the queen of my dreams comes to me...

Cruelly hurt and scorned; now the patronising insights to endure - does the pain find refuge here because of love; is it self-pity and grief that seeks companionship? - we will try and learn a little everyday, or succumb to the sweet release ~ SB

Actors and victims

2012-01-16T05:25:00.000+02:00

In the final analysis, it's our pretences that cause our ultimate downfall. Our fear to face the truth about ourselves. On the whole it's not even being afraid of those closest to us finding out about our weaknesses and sins, but the reality of losing face in front of those who despise and hate us most.

How totally absurd is that?

About Love... just a little bit

2012-01-15T05:25:00.000+02:00

To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making tofind a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes steadily the person one desires to be. - Anna Louise Strong

When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out. - Elizabeth Bowen

The essence of romantic love is that wonderful beginning, after which sadness and impossibility may become the rule. - Anita Brookner

Are we not all members of the same Body and partakers of the same Spirit and heirs of the same blessed hope of eternal life? . . . Why do we not, as becomes brethren, dwell together in unity, but are so apt toquarrel and break out into heats, to crumble into sects and parties, todivide and separate from one another upon every trifling occasion? Give me leave . . . in the name of our dear Lord . . . to recommend to you this new commandment of His, that you love one another. Which is almost a new commandment still, and hardly the worse for wearing, so seldom is it put on, and so little hath it been practiced among Christians. - John Tillotson

All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to Thee and come to dust... - William Shakespeare

Family is family

2012-01-14T10:03:00.002+02:00

Family is family: You argue, you fight, you stop talking at times, but the truth is the love is always there. Love your family with all your heart because you will never know when they will be gone & you will never get to apologize or say goodbye. Always remember what FAMILY stands for:

Forever Always Mine, I Love You.

And Family doesn't require a bloodline...

Love you guys, always ~SB

In remembrance...

2012-01-14T05:25:00.000+02:00

My Dad, Malcolm Ian Lakay passed away 11 years ago today, 14th January 2001.

Born 23 July 1930 his 70 years included time to teach me the right way of doing and living; and also the goodness to lend a helping hand to everyone he encountered.

Those kindnesses he showed to a select special few were quickly forgotten as deserved acts it seems - I hope I am never in a position to be accused of such ingratitude - and I pray that the ability and fortitude to pass it forward - no matter how worthy I may think the cost - will endure... ~ SB

My happiness...

2012-01-13T05:25:00.001+02:00

When we have true fulfillment we embrace and include equally both sides of life's coin; happiness and sadness. Happiness, like comedy, is a transient superficial mask that we wear when we ignore the downsides of an inherently balanced event. Sadness, like tragedy, is the transient, superficial, complementary opposite mask that we wear when we ignore the upsides of an event. Inspiring love and gratitude occurs when we have realistic expectations on ourselves and others and understand that all events have a balance of benefits and drawbacks and are supportive and challenging like two sides of any magnet. If we want to awaken our magnetism we must embrace both sides of our magnet equally. Searching for a one sided magnet is futile. Searching for a one sided life is equally as futile. It is wise that we embrace the oscillating cycles of happiness and sad equally along our journey of gratitude and love, for they will both guide us to our most authentic self. True love includes a balance of both synchronously.

If happiness 24/7 is not sustainable, what is?

"Feelings of happiness and sadness oscillate throughout our lives. In some cases they become quite extreme when we do not govern or moderate our imbalanced perceptions and resultant bipolarized emotions. The quality of our lives is dependent upon the quality of the questions we ask. If we ask balancing questions we can moderate the extremes of emotion and center ourselves upon our primary task or mission at hand. Our intuition is constantly trying to reveal to our conscious mind the part we are ignoring with our biased perceptions and expectations and to help bring our minds back into a balanced awareness. When we are sad our intuition is trying to reveal the upsides. When we are happy our intuition is trying to reveal the downsides. When we are balanced and centered our intuition transforms into inspiration."

Gratitude is the key to growth and fulfillment

Those who count their blessings, who are grateful, have more blessings and fulfillment in life than those who do not. This is a simple principle. Yet it has the power to change your life. We are built on universal principles, and the universe behaves like us on a grander scale. If you were to give someone a gift and they just looked at it and then tossed it aside without thanks, would you be inclined to give them another? Of course not, and the universe responds just as you do. The universe bestows its gifts where they are most appreciated. If you're not grateful for what you've been given, why would the universe want to give you more?

Many people confuse gratitude with elation. They think that when they're elated about some event and go, "Oh, I'm so thankful for that!" that they are being grateful. But true gratitude actually has little to do with those temporary moments of happiness or elation.

True gratitude is a quiet state of poise and inner calm where you are truly thankful, where you sense the Divine order and wouldn't want anything to change. Gratitude is a true prayer of thanksgiving. But there are two types of thanksgiving and they are both very different.

The first type of thanksgiving is often false. It arises when you are dissatisfied with life. It is represented by, "Oh god/universe/world, this is all messed up. Please fix it!"

The second type of thanksgiving is real. It arises when you are truly thankful for what has already been given. With this type of thanksgiving you recognize the order and perfection of what is. As a result you receive ever more gifts. To those who ‘have' (gratitude) more is given. To those who ‘have not' (ingratitude) more is taken away. Having gifts taken away as a result of ingratitude helps us wake up to the importance of being grateful.

Show Gratitude

Say ‘Thank you' - There is no limit to how many times you can thank a person, including yourself, and while it may only be two simple words, their meaning is universal and their effects can be profound.
Write a special note- Sometimes our best thoughts and ideas are those we do not try to edit, so let the message you write come to you in the moment. There is no need for the words to make sense to anyone else but the person it is intended for.
Treat yourself - The greatest relationship we will ever have is with ourselves, and it is wise to take the time to show ourselves that we are grateful for who we are and what we choose to be. How you treat yourself all depends on what you like, for some there would be nothing better than a treatment at their favorite spa, for others a new computer will do the trick.
Smile - a smile can be contagious if it comes from the heart and often tells a person so much more than what words can say. Giving the gift of a smile can be a great way to show you are grateful.
Give a gift that counts - the power of a gift when it comes to being a token of gratitude is ultimately the thought that goes into it. Take the time to really look at who the gift is intended for and what they value most in life. Everyone wants to be loved and appreciated for who they are. If you get a gift that really speaks to their values it is likely to be remembered forever!

Living through gratitude will awaken your heart and equilibrate your emotions allowing you to become inspired and enthused by your life once again.

In an increasingly interdependent world our own welfare and happiness depend on many other people. Other human beings have a right to peace and happiness that is equal to our own; therefore we have a responsibility to help those in need. Many of our world's problems and conflicts arise because we have lost sight of the basic humanity that binds us all together as a human family.

When u carry a Bible, the devil gets a headache. When you open it, he collapses. When he see's you reading it, he faints. When he see's you living it. .... he flees. And just when you're about 2 re-post this, he will try & discourage you. I just defeated him...(",)

Dreamcatcher

2012-01-12T21:57:00.002+02:00

- by walkb99rhyme

Dreamcatcher, find me a dream

one that makes me happy

so peaceful and serene

a dream of many colors

a tapestry beyond compare

I'll slowly close my eyes

so you might take me there

Dreamcatcher, search out my soul,

what is it I am missing

am I out in the cold?

Bring me a dream with love warm and true

as my mind slowly drifts and i find my way to you

Dreamcatcher, I think I am there,

basking in the limelight

of the dreams that you share

so much beauty passing before my eye

this dream everlasting a delightful surprise

Dreamcatcher, your spirit prevails

and when I awaken, I'll have glorious tales

stories of love so real and so revealing

you bring to me such a glorious feeling

Dreamcatcher, it's time for me

to enter my daytime reality

and while I will be there for the rest of my day

I will carry you with me

till you take me away...

Make God your Dreamcatcher and let Him bring you peace ~SB

THE QUESTION OF THE SINNER'S PRAYER

2012-01-12T05:25:00.000+02:00

I may not agree with your opinion; but I will fight to death for your right to say it - Voltaire
I am convicted to make clear to my neighbour what I perceive to be wrong in his words and deeds; in a loving and helpful spirit.

It is always a good thing to pray. Spontaneous prayer is vital for the true believer; but real communication with GOD has to be prepared, and thought about in advance...

I have typed my comments in RED regarding a blog post I read, and I cite my thoughts as it unfolded - what do you think?

Re-blogged with permission from: http://christian-with-a-view.blogspot.com/

THE QUESTION OF THE SINNER'S PRAYER
Is there anywhere in the Bible that tells men to say the "sinner's prayer" and they will be saved? No, there is not. The "sinner's prayer" is used in order to represent salvation as being possible without getting wet, that is to take water baptism out of the plan of salvation.

(I don't believe this to be the intention of a sinner's prayer)

ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF THE SINNER'S PRAYER

"Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayers. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."

Jesus taught us how to pray (for anything) in "The Lord's Prayer" - the 'Our Father, who art in Heaven...' - this prayer is for all - believers and current non-believers; and speaks to any need - even salvation. - I believe saying a sinner's prayer in conjunction with The Lords Prayer is key...

The Bible never told anyone to say the "sinner's prayer" in order to be saved.
Jesus said: Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Jesus did not say "he who has believed and has said the sinner's prayer shall be saved."

The apostle Peter said: Acts 2:38 ...."Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Evidently Peter forgot to say, "Repent, and say the sinner's prayer in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I find these paraphrased parallels to be a bit flippant and uncontextual; however well intended to prove the point. Did give me a bit of a chuckle, though!

BLOOD BOUGHT CHRISTIANS CAN PRAY FOR THEIR FORGIVENESS - NON-CHRISTIANS CANNOT RECEIVE FORGIVENESS BY SAYING THE SINNER"S PRAYER NOR ANY OTHER KIND OF PRAYER.

( I disagree - ..."ask and it shall be given unto you..." - it is as simple as asking for our daily bread - as long as the heart is pure and contrite and open to the Holy Spirit - no one is denied forgiveness... I know, it seems unfair to the long-suffering, faithful - but we serve a loving and forgiving God who will welcome us back as soon as we genuinely repent)

The two things you will find in the Christian conversions in the Bible are BELIEF and WATER BAPTISM.
Christian conversions found in the Bible do not link BELIEF and the SINNER'S PRAYER to salvation.

This would narrow the opportunities for a person to accept the Lord as their personal Saviour - I'd like to think that if I were dying in the desert of thirst, and required salvation before passing into the next world, I would still be afforded the amazing grace without benefit of baptismal water - it is almost akin to saying 'full immersion or nothing - tough luck?''

SATAN WANTS BELIEVERS TO THINK THEY CAN BE DRY CLEANED!

Oh that devil, he wants us to believe many falsehoods - I think in the grand scheme of God's purposes for us, this is a baby untruth; but nonetheless, one to be continually wary of... ~SB

May GOD bless and enhance your day!

I repeat - It is always a good thing to pray. Spontaneous prayer is vital for the true believer; but real communication with GOD has to be prepared, and thought about in advance... ~ SB

Eo Mai. . .

2012-01-11T05:25:00.000+02:00

by Queen P. . .

Hea 'Oe mai ?

Make ko'u na'au Po'e pana'i

Ku'u ho'i loko 'Oe houpo?

Eia ho'i pai a pa'i pili eia

Na'e pana i'ole mamao aku

Aloha, piha ke haka. . .

Where did you come from?

Making my heart a hostage

to leave in your chest?

And even with you

still beating so far away

love fills the empty. . .

You haven't found the right person if you can live with them, you've found the right person if you can't live without them. - Unknown

Life can change in an instant. Intellectually we know this - but we think the bad things, at least, will happen to someone else. So we make our plans and see the future stretching out in front of us as real as if it has already happened. But while looking to tomorrow, we may forget to notice all the todays slipping by. And we may forget that a job retrenchment, a debilitating illness, an encounter with a drunk driver or myriad other events can alter that future in the blink of an eye... God Bless ~ SB

We The People - YouTube

2012-01-11T00:10:00.001+02:00

We The People - YouTube

Worth a gander...

Stay young at heart...

2012-01-10T05:25:00.000+02:00

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you, if you're young at heart. For it's hard you will find, to be narrow of mind, if you're young at heart.

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes, you can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams. And life gets more exciting with each passing day and love is either in your heart; or on it's way...

Don't you know that it's worth every treasure on earth, to be young at heart For as rich as you are, it's much better by far, to be young at heart .

And if you should survive to 105, look at all you'll derive out of being alive. And here's the best part, you've had a head start, if you are among the very Young at heart.

You can (probably should) take your work seriously, take your responsibilities seriously, take your comittments and promises seriously - but never take yourself (too) seriously...

Tragically, for some, this seems to be an impossibility; how sad...

The right attitude is never dictated to by circumstance - just love of life... and/or that other special someone!

And it don't cost a worthy thing!

God Bless ! ~ SB

What age is a good time to die?

2012-01-09T05:25:00.000+02:00

Is threescore years and ten a pre-ordained natural passage of time for man to wander the Earth? Does that mean that living beyond this period is a blessing from our Maker - in effect a privilege granted?

I will soon reach twoscore and ten - and consider that a blessing already - actually quite an accomplishment. However; modern medicine has provided the ability to live far beyond this age, and I wonder if that is perhaps messing with the grand scheme of things?

You will notice that all the aforementioned are questions I pose; so don't get pepper in your panties! I'm just thinking about the mortality of man; and what we should expect as a milestone age to make a natural, dignified and grand-self-actualised exit from this mortal coil?

How urgent should our mission and journey to fulfilling our purpose in life be?

Eccl: 3:2: To every thingthere is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born and a time to die…

Ps: 90:10: The days of ouryears are threescore years and ten; and if byreason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour andsorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Gen: 46:27: And the sonsof Joseph, which were born him in Egypt,were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.

2Chron:36:21: To fulfilthe word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed herSabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Zech:1:12: Then the angelof the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not havemercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast hadindignation these threescore and ten years?

"Like a thief in the night"... Be prepared to meet your Maker at all times and in all your pursuits ~SB

In celebration of my 1000th blog post - I sing a Hymn To Love...

2012-01-08T19:59:00.000+02:00

"Hymne AL'Amour"

The blue sky cantumble down upon us

And the earth canalso collapse

It doesn't matter, ifyou love me

I don't care aboutthe entire world

As long as lovefloods my mornings

As long as my bodytrembles beneath your hand

These problems don'tmatter

My love, since youlove me

I would go to the endof the earth

I would dye my hairblonde

I would go take downthe moon

I would go steal afortune

If you asked it of me

I would disown my country

I would disown myfriends

If you asked it of me

People can have agood laugh at me

I would do anything

If you asked it of me

If one day life tearsyou from me

If you die that yoube far from me

It doesn't matter, ifyou love me

Because, me, I willdie also

We will have eternityfor ourselves

In the great blueimmensity

In the sky, no moreproblems

My love, do youbelieve we love each other?

God reunites thosewho love each other…

French original

Le ciel bleu sur nous peut s'effrondrer

Et la terre peut bien s'écrouler

Peu m'importe si tu m'aimes

Je me fous du monde entier

Tant que l'amour inondera mes matins

Tant que mon corps frémira sous tes mains

Peu m'importent les grands problèmes

Mon amour, puisque tu m'aimes...

J'irais jusqu'au bout du monde

Je me ferais teindre en blonde

Si tu me le demandais...

J'irais décrocher la lune

J'irais voler la fortune

Si tu me le demandais...

Je renierais ma patrie

Je renierais mes amis

Si tu me le demandais...

On peut bien rire de moi,

Je ferais n'importe quoi

Si tu me le demandais...

Si un jour la vie t'arrache à moi

Si tu meurs, que tu sois loin de moi

Peu m'importe, si tu m'aimes

Car moi je mourrai aussi...

Nous aurons pour nous l'éternité

Dans le bleu de toute l'immensité

Dans le ciel, plus de problèmes

Mon amour, crois-tu qu'on s'aime?...

Dieu réunit ceux qui s'aiment!

Thank you to everyone for visiting, now and again - it does not go unnoticed; and it is much appreciated. God bless you all ~SB

Never Gonna Let You go - lyrics

2012-01-08T17:45:00.000+02:00

NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO LYRICS - SERGIO MENDES

I was as wrong as I could be

To let you get away from me

I'll regret that move.

For as long as I'm living

But now that I've come to see the light

All I want to do is make things right

So say the word

And tell me that I'm forgiven

You and me

We're gonna be better than we were before

I loved you then but now I intend

To open up and love you even more

This time you can be sure...

Refrain:

I'm never gonna let you go

I'm gonna hold you in my arms forever

Gonna try and make up for all the times

I hurt you so

Gonna hold your body close to mine

From this day on we're gonna be together

Oh I swear this time

I'm never gonna let you go

Looking back now

It seems so clear

I had it all when you were here

Oh you gave it all

And I took it for granted

But if there's some feeling left in you

Some flickers of love

That still shines through

Let's talk it out

Let's talk about second chances

Wait and see

It's gonna be sweeter than it was before

I gave some then but now I intend

To dedicate myself to giving more

This time you can be sure...

Chorus

I'm never gonna let you go

I'm gonna hold you in my arms forever

Gonna try and make up for all the times

I hurt you so

Gonna hold your body close to mine

From this day on we're gonna be together

Oh I swear this time

I'm never gonna let you go

Oh, so if you'll just say

You want me too...

"Come to Me in love, in willingness, in hope, in fear, in despair, in longing. It is all the same. Just come to Me."

What Now?

2012-01-08T17:42:00.001+02:00

At this time of the year you cannot look backover the road you have travelled without a sense of thanksgiving. The past yearmay have been hard and difficult, and you may have experienced bitter sorrow,so thank God that the past is behind you and turn to face the future with thefervent prayer and hope that it will be kinder.

Although many people try to probe the secretsof the future no one knows what it holds; therefore the wise course is to stopworrying about what may happen and prepare yourself for any eventuality.

To meet the unknown future it is necessary tohave a positive and living faith in God. Such a faith is more than anintellectual assent to the existence of an Eternal Being. It is the firmconviction that the Living Christ can and does, live in the hearts and lives ofall who love and serve Him.

When Christ lives in your heart and mind, andyou are vividly aware of your oneness with Him, you will be able to face thefuture fearlessly. You will have the calm assurance that nothing can confrontyou that the Christ within you, in cooperation with you, cannot dealwith successfully.

PRAYER THOUGHT

DivineFather; because I am committed to You
I shall not fear the unknown future,
Because my life is in Your Hands.

Parallel of Hope for us – Natasha’s story

2012-01-08T05:25:00.000+02:00

“It’s been two years since my delinquenthusband (I’ll call him DH) was unfaithful. And what a heart-wrenching,confidence- melting, rooted-to-the-spot shock it was. It was raining when thenews broke — it had to be, of course, in order to create the gloomiestatmosphere - and I had the flu.

I shrugged myself into an anorak - red,matching my runny nose - and spent the day walking in the rain, phone switchedoff, and tears of disbelief mingling with raindrops. Mumbling incoherently tomyself as I walked, I tried to sort out my thoughts and my future. My plansoscillated between driving into the unknown to never return - tempting, butunfair on the family, and swallowing all the tablets that had accumulated inour medicine chest - clearly not the answer. At around the sixth kilometre,common sense must have kicked in.

I found myself at the bank isolating my variouscheque and savings accounts and emptying my husband’s. Tired and feverish, Icrawled back to bed and decided to do nothing further. In any case, I had beenassured the affair was over. DH was still home and I had time to consider mynext move.

Coincidentally, we’d booked a holiday and itwas to be a marathon: a tour of the UK,a river cruise down the Rhine, then a drive down the Coast in Italy and, finally, on to Malta. It wasan expensive dream and even more so after I’d treated myself to a new wardrobe.If we cancelled, we’d lose the lot - apart from the clothes, of course. I wastoo befuddled to make any life-changing decisions, so we went on holiday asplanned. The river cruise was in the company of friends our age, allcontentedly married for decades. As my husband’s gaze caught mine from time totime, I felt cheated and itched to rip his testicles away from his body with mybare hands.

Back from holiday, we went for therapy in thehope of becoming glued back together. Wearing a benevolent smile, our therapistallowed us to talk while mentally writing her shopping list. DH liedimaginatively and I believed what I wanted to hear. But he’s a terrible liar:stories would change mid-sentence, muddled up with former lies, becomingincomprehensible. It was only a question of time before he was exposed. “TheOther Woman” was still on the scene. Should I cut up his ties, shorten histrouser legs, kick him out or should I leave?

I took legal advice. If I left, I’d be legallyand financially disadvantaged. I pictured myself old and dishevelled, shufflingthrough town, possessions stuffed into bin liners, scavenging for food. Itbrought me to my senses, so I decided to throw him out instead. It was his turnto experience shock… Of course he came back - and I let him. Reality had bursthis fantasy bubble. With “her” - a 37-year-old bus driver - he would havenothing. With me, he had a house, his classic cars and a good lifestyle. That’shard to give up when you’re 55. As for me? He wanted a cook and cleanerand I fit the bill.

I convinced myself that he had returned becausehe loved me – the act even rekindled my affections. My excuse? I’m a romantic,gullible and blonde! Besides, I’ve always believed in fairies at the bottom ofthe garden. But you’re right, he was still seeing her. I didn’t evenneed to poke around to check on him; she rang me herself and told me to keep himaway from her.

By now how many nails were there in my coffin?Let me tell you, that phone call was the last one. Instead of lying in darknessdefused of will and self-worth, the lid was ripped open and I was set free. Ilooked at this man - clearly, seeing him for what he was - and I didn’t like whatI saw. The spell was broken.

Of course the road to recovery took longer thanthat, but I was on the right path. A woman’s group and self-help books allassisted in healing me. I decided to let DH stay on. I would do the thingsexpected of a wife. In return he would maintain the house and garden; completethe lifestyle I had come to enjoy and provide companionship upon request.

Perversely, we get on - we always did but love was no longer on the menu. This new lifestyle was hard and lonely. Friendsavoided us; either they didn't wish to take sides or else they didn't want tobecome unnecessarily involved.

Then, out of the mist appeared a man. Not justany man, but a “gentle” man. Not a knight in shining armour from somefairytale, but a “real” man. Not young - but wise, and kind and honest. Notjust a lover, but something more precious and lasting - a true friend to laughand cry with, to hug and confide in. Having lost his wife and still nursing hisgrief, he recognised my pain. And with a generosity of spirit, he reached out,restoring my faith in human nature with his kind, simple acts.

So remember when things are bad - really bad -do not give up. Someone somewhere will find you, if you let him or her. They willoffer you a hand and help you to your feet, gently brush away your tears andsoothe your troubled mind. I’ve discovered it’s true: there are fairies at thebottom of the garden.” ~ And a faithful and loving God above ~

I love and miss you more each day ~ SB

THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU

2012-01-07T23:59:00.000+02:00

THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU LYRICS - NAT KING COLE

The very thought of you

And I forget to do

The little ordinary things

That everyone ought to do

I'm living in a kind of daydream

I'm happy as a king

And foolish though it may seem

To me that's everything

The mere idea of you

The longing here for you

You'll never know how slow the moments go

Till I'm near to you

I see your face in every flower

Your eyes in stars above

It's just the thought of you

The very thought of you, my love

The mere idea of you

The longing here for you

You'll never know how slow the moments go

Till I'm near to you

I see your face in every flower

Your eyes in stars above

It's just the thought of you

The very thought of you, my love.

The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a glowing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase.

This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing, it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of Divine accident.

- Sir Hugh Walpole

Three Words That Change Lives…

2012-01-07T22:43:00.000+02:00

The most important messages that humans deliverto one another often come in just a few words. Think of “I love you” or“There’s no charge” or “And in conclusion.”

One of these phrases it is found that one ofthe most useful is this: “I’ll bethere.”

I’ll be there. If you’ve ever had to call a plumber over a weekend, youknow how good these words can feel. If you’ve heard them after being strandedon the road with car trouble and used your last airtime or mobile battery life tophone a friend, you’ve known the feeling too. “Grandpa, I’m graduating inDecember!” I’ll be there. “Darling, I’m stuck at the office and I can’t get tothe airport to meet my sister!” I’ll be there. “Mom, the baby cries all night,and if I don’t get some sleep I’ll perish!” I’ll be there.

Another important three-word phrase is one of the hardest to learn to say. It is: “Maybeyou’re right.”

If morepeople would say “maybe you’re right,” the marriage counsellors would go out of business. I knowfrom experience that it can havea disarming effect in an argument. When we’re so hung up on getting our own waythat we won’t concede on any point, we do ourselves a real disservice. Evenwhen you know you’re right, use it to indulge and win over your challengers. –works wonders!

The next phrase I heard often when I was small andfaced a hard decision. Turning to my Grandmother, I’d ask what I should do. Herresponse was
always the same: “Your heart knows.”

“Myheart knows?” I would grumble. “What’s that supposed to mean? I need advicehere. I need you to tell me what to do.” She would just smile and say, “Yourheart knows dear. Your heart knows.” I would retort, “Yes but my heart isn’ttalking!” To this she would respond, “Learnto listen.”

People may suggest what we should do, but forthe most part no one will accept responsibility for our mistakes. We have tomake our own choices. That’s when we need to listen. Your heart knows.Psychologists call this “tuning in to ourselves.” Spiritual leaders call it“turning to a higher power.” Whatever you call it, you have the ability to findthe right answers for your life. It’s a powerful gift - but you have to learnto use it.

It took me some time, but I learnt that lifedoesn’t come with a plan. Indeed the page is mostly blank. You may have a roughoutline of where you’re going, but you won’t get there without making sometough decisions. To this end you may find these simple, yet profound, wordshelpful:

I’ll be there.

Maybe you’re right.

Your heart knows.

God Bless ~ SB

(With gratitude and credit to Martha Dunagin Saunders)

Always - by Juf

2012-01-07T09:37:00.002+02:00

When I'm with you my heart pounds,

Without you my heart drowns,

In the tears that I've cried,

From the times when you've lied,

How now am I to live this life of sadness, sorrow,

From the day we met, I loved like no tommorow,

What I'll do without you; the answer's not clear,

What I know for sure, is that I want you here

It's true I want to be with you again,

I want my heart's exhilleration to begin,

I love you, for you,

I hate what you feel you have to put me through,

But for the slip of love that you've shown,

I want to make it known,

That no matter what you do,

I will always love you.

Because if you can't show it, your words don't mean a thing. Don't lie in order to satisfy somebody for a moment, because the pain that you cause them in the future can last them for a lifetime...

WHERE NOW?

2012-01-07T05:25:00.000+02:00

Wherever you turn in the World there are theunmistakable signs of chaos, violence and anarchy. Many people are emigratingfrom the land of their birth as they seek a haven of safety in another country.Others agonise as they wrestle with their conscience as they try to reach adecision concerning their and their family’s future. More than ever beforepeople appear to be fleeing - from what and where, many do not know, but theyare being driven on relentlessly by fear of what might happen to them.

We lose sight of the fact that to change ourWorld, we don’t need to see new landscapes; we just need to see with new eyes!

This is not the first time that feelings ofpanic have gripped the World but the danger always lies in not knowing where elseto go or where to turn.

As He did thousands of years ago so AlmightyGod still calls on you to turn only to Him in order that you might be saved.There is no material substitute for God’s peace and there is no safer haventhan the Everlasting Arms which form your Eternal Dwelling place.

However worried you may be about the future ofyour loved ones and yourself; stop fretting and stop running. Instead, put yourfaith and trust in the Risen Christ; commit yourself into the protection of HisLove and be reassured that, in Him, no harm will come to you.

Share in the knowledge that you are worthy to receive every desire ofyour heart. Allow God's love to fill every part of your being, even the partsyou judge and feel guilty about.

Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, for the knowledgethat Your perfect love casts out allfear. ~ SB

Vegan Until Six

2012-01-06T05:25:00.000+02:00

Onfirst glance, the title may mislead you to think that the subject program involves being a vegan until the age of six (6). In fact, itactually champions the modified eating habit of avoiding animal productseveryday until 18:00 (6 p.m.).

I’m not a small person, so I don’t look thatheavy (I think so anyway), but I am overweight and have developed somehealth issues. My cholesterol is up, as is my blood sugar (there’s diabetes inmy family), my back plays up occasionally and I’ve developed sleep apnoea. Ihave no intention of becoming a vegetarian, but I can see the writing on thewall: industrial meat production had gone beyond distasteful and alienating tobecome disgusting and dangerous (its link to global warming doesn’t help).Traditional, natural ingredients are becoming rare, and respectable scientificstudies point towards the health benefits of eating more plant-based foods andfewer meat-based ones.

For me, the combination of cholesterol, bloodsugar and apnoea was the real trigger. My problems are scary and, according tomy doctor, easily remedied. For the cholesterol, I can takecholesterol-lowering drugs or eat less meat; for the blood sugar, I must eatfewer sweets; for the apnoea, I have to lose 15% of my body weight. Everythingpoints to a simpler style of eating. So I’ve started following a diet that is nearly“vegan until six”.

Now, untildinner, I eat almost no animal products and no simple carbohydrates (no white-flour products, junk food, or sugar-heavysnacks). At dinner, I eat as I always have, sometimes a sizeable meal includinganimal products, bread, dessert, a glass of wine or a beer.., or sometimes justa salad and a bowl of soup. Late night snacking; I’ve switched frompotato-crisps to maize-based crisps (love my Nik Naks). I’m also taking severallong walks each week, going to attempt to be more active in my workplace andmaking better use of the gym membership.

Thoughfew nutritionists would disapprove, this plan may seem counter-intuitive. The opposite schedule(eating the day’s heaviest meal for lunch or breakfast) may make more sense formany people, but it suits me. I detest overly prescriptive diets, and the point is to eat more vegetables, fruits,legumes and wholegrains, and less meat, sugar, junk food and over-refinedcarbohydrates, without giving up the foods I love.

I’vejust started applying this ‘diet’ to my lifestyle from the beginning of thisyear, 2012; so it's just been a few days and can’t speak to any personal results or benefits thereof yet. But I’m going to letyou in on the expected results; as related by the author and protagonist ofthe program, MARK BITTMAN (aged 57, weak-kneed and weighing in at 97kg):

“My results were striking. I had little trouble eating this way, I began feeling and sleeping better, and I didn't think much aboutit for a month or two. It just made sense. A month later, I’d lost 7kg. A monthafter that, both my cholesterol and my blood sugar were down, well into thenormal range (my cholesterol went from 240 to 180). My apnoea was gone, and I was sleeping through the night.

Withinfour months, I had lost 16kg and weighed less than I had in 30 years. In fact,of all my diet-related ailments, only my knees didn’t respond. (Oh well, onedoes age.) My weight has stabilised, and - perhaps more importantly -I’m at home with this way of eating. Mydoctor was very happy with my progress. (Check with yours first.)

Today I eat about a third as much meat, dairy and even fish as I did a few years ago. (Farmedfish has many of the same issues as farmed land animals, including antibioticuse and environmental damage.) I eat few refined carbohydrates. But if there’sgood white bread at dinner, I attack it, and I still have pasta a couple oftimes a week. I eat almost no junk food. I eat about three or four times moreplant foods (such as green leafy vegetables) than before; probably 50%of my kilojoules now come fromnon-animal sources.

Forsome people, a shift of 10% of kilojoules from animal to plant may feelsignificant, though I doubt it. It would be the equivalent of maybe not havingchicken on a Caesar salad at lunch. A person making that kind of shift, alongwith cutting way back on junk food and carbohydrates, might still see positivehealth changes. But a shift of 50% - replacing half your animal kilojoules withplant ones - would be a significant change and need a conscious effort.

Thegoal of eating sanely is not to cut kilojoules; it will happen naturally. Noris it to cut protein, though again, you’ll end up eating less. The goal isn’tto save money, though you probably will. Rather, the goal is to eat less ofcertain foods and more of others - specifically, plants, as close to their natural state as possible. Above all, this is a shift in perspective, one that means better eating for both your body and theplanet.”

Let’ssee how it goes – please say a little prayer for my future efforts folks! You’re welcometo join me. Thanks and God bless ~ SB